Director of Supply Chain - Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative
(2019-01)
Head of Purchasing group / Storeroom Group and Supply Chain Management
- Develop Strategy for organizational improvements with focus on Continuous Improvement
- Work directly with Suppliers on large contracts and agreements
- Implement strategic initiatives to focus on cost savings and risk reduction
- Develop overall goals with CEO and implement process improvements
- Direct day to day activities for group of 14 staff
- Identify potential problems and work to address root cause solutions
- Participate in Leadership and Board of Director strategic planning process
- Develop process and continuous improvement initiatives
- Develop, monitor, and measure Supplier Partnerships
- Part of Senior Leadership team that develops direction and strategy for the Cooperative
Head of Purchasing - Gowan Construction Inc. - Grand Forks, ND
(2015-01 - 2019-12)
- Develop and implement a complete sourcing strategy which supports allocation and reduces risk
- Develop and implement initiatives to optimize inventory levels and lead times, and leverage supplier abilities to reduce total cost of ownership
- Evaluation and selection of vendors based on total cost, quality, and sustainability of supply
- Review and analyze vendor contracts to ensure compliance and reduce risk
- Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives in the company's supply chain operations
- Monitor and track supplier performance, inventory levels, cost savings
- Attend relevant trade shows and other Vendor meetings to establish collaborative relationships
Supply Chain Manager - Swanson Health Products - Fargo, ND
(2013-01 - 2015-12)
- Lead and set strategic vision for team of 13 buyers within Company Purchasing Department
- Develop and implement Strategic Sourcing initiatives such as Cost savings, Supplier Partnership, and Supplier improvement plans
- Manage and report company-wide inventory analysis, and inventory turns reports
- Evaluate performance of staff and facilitate support for career development and growth
- Facilitate supplier consolidation and rationalization efforts
- Work closely with other departments such as Quality Assurance, Accounting, Marketing, and Inventory Control to develop processes and improve existing workflow with a focus on elimination of non value-added tasks
- Set strategic vision for future quarters and fiscal calendars
- Initiate and participate in various company meetings to establish direction and set objectives
- Develop relationships with key Suppliers and resolve issues when Purchasing staff is unable to find solutions
- Attend Trade Shows and meet with potential new suppliers to develop relationships and look for opportunities to improve overall Supply Chain
- Build, develop, coach, and support an effective leadership team to drive achievement of organizational objectives, by identifying opportunities for growth and learning while fostering a high performance culture.
Director of Sourcing - Otter Tail Corporation - Fargo, ND
(2008-01 - 2013-12)
- Set the vision, strategic direction, expectations, and annual objectives for the overall procurement organization
- Through collaboration with Operating Companies, establish overall governance, policies, procedures, systems, quality standards, and best practices to enable the company to optimize the management of Supplier spend and Supplier relationships
- Communicate on a consistent basis with Executives and Platform Leaders in order to establish and execute Sourcing initiatives throughout organization
- Develop, implement, and leverage a repeatable, disciplined approach to implement best practice agreements throughout the organization. Focus on total cost effectiveness, enhanced service levels, improved coordination, and risk reduction.
- Lead, develop, and execute strategic sourcing strategies, best practices, and initiatives that support aggressive improvements in supplier quality, delivery, pricing, lead-times, payment, and other areas as identified.
- Develop and deliver aggressive cost reduction goals through unit price, rebates, payment terms, and vendor process improvements such as VMI, Kan Ban solutions, and consignment programs.
- Drive consolidation of spend and seek out synergies across Operating Companies where applicable.
- Benchmark, track, and analyze annual performance metrics and sourcing trends against budget and vendor performance to demonstrate continuous improvement and progress against strategic objectives.
- Serve as a change agent and innovative leader for business initiatives and assures the human element is understood and considered.
- Effectively represent the company to external organizations, community organizations, local businesses, trade associations, and Suppliers in a manner that maintains the integrity and enhances the reputation of the Company.
Strategic Senior Buyer - Coloplast Corporation - Mankato, MN
(2002-01 - 2008-12)
- Facilitate highly specialized and multi-disciplined resources to redesign sourcing and supply chain processes to better support key business objectives across the company
- Provide leadership to individual Purchasing Departments creating sourcing opportunities which capture the greatest cost savings
- Act as an advisor to VP Procurement on the selection of suppliers and facilitate extensive market research and internal data collection
- Establish/ Direct strategic sourcing objectives to sustain continuous cost reduction programs for the company's largest controllable expenditures
- Develop/ Facilitate relationships with major players in the marketplace to understand and stay abreast of industry changes which may impact various business management programs as it relates to pricing/technical trends and new products
- Utilize economic and market trends within assigned disciplines to develop long and short term sourcing strategy for implementation by applicable program owner
- Develop Category plan for direct material purchasing with a focus on improved quality, PPV, Supplier impact, and Supplier performance
- Participate in lean manufacturing projects for Material flow through value stream mapping. Implement JIT solutions such as Kan Ban, VMI, and consignment programs
Purchasing Supervisor - Minn-Kota Trolling Motors - Mankato, MN
(1998-01 - 2002-12)
- Utilize experience and process change skills to identify opportunities to lower costs.
- Act as resource for small groups of sourcing management professionals
- Understand customer specifications and processes but also seek to influence those requirements through marketplace research and best practice assessment
- Ensure compliance across the larger organization
- Participate in and develop training to Strategic Sourcing group and general Procurement team
- Share best practices across all divisions
